Whittle

One day when I grow up I'm going to write a play. I'm going to call the play JOB, and make little children act in it. Nobody is going to stop my play until it is finished.

Summer is in the air and for us summer means long holidays full of fun and frolicking.

This summer is special. We are going to a concert in Clarendon and we are going to act in a play. It's really true. Maas Joe is the pastor of the church in our district. He is going to hire a bus and take people to help in the fund-raising concert at the church in Clarendon.

We have two yards - top yard and bottom yard. Top yard is where we live. Bottom yard has the shop and a big barbecue where pimento and coffee are often spread out to dry. Bottom yard has fruit trees and a banana walk. It is also a good place for our rehearsals.

Maas Joe chooses the story of Job for us to act out. He is going to be Job, the man in the Bible whom the devil does a lot of bad things to. Miss Kate is going to be Job's wife. Bull is one of the messengers. Dudley is the devil and I am one of the servants. Deloris and Babsy are two of Job's children and, to tell the truth, almost everybody in Booka district has a part in the play.

Anxious

Excitement is rife in the community. Oh, what fun we have as we rehearse in the evenings. Each evening the devil rattles the banana trash before crawling out of the banana walk. A voice asks, "From whence cometh thou?" The voice belongs to Maas Sylvester, a short, stout man who lives on the hill with Miss Kate, his wife.

The devil answers: "From going to and fro in the earth and from walking up and down in it."

Maas Sylvester asks Satan plenty questions until Satan gets him to agree to let him hurt Job.

Each evening all the actors get a chance to practise. I am always anxious for my turn to come, for I want to be a film star when I grow up. I am supposed to run in and say: "Master, your children were all dining at your eldest son's house. A strong wind blew down the house and killed all of them."

The play is long, but we enjoy every minute of it. After Satan destroys everything that Job loves, he puts sores and boils all over Job. We have fun using flour mixed with water to make the sores on Job. Some of the little children are afraid of the devil, who carries a long garden fork and is dressed in black. They run and scream when they see him.

Time flies and now it is time to perform at the church in Clarendon. We pack our costumes and board the bus. Everyone is so anxious.

We reach the church when it is just getting dark. Only a few people are here. I am disappointed. I want plenty people to see me when I act in the play. We sing and pray and the concert starts.

The chairman is a bearded black man with a big mouth and a loud voice.

Upset

"Clap Tom Piper as him come up with a poem!" he shouts.

Tom goes up and says a few words.

"Two shilling take him down!" shouts a little old woman.

"Three shillings put him back!" somebody else cries out.

I watch anxiously as they take him down, put him back, take him down again and put him back. I wonder if they are going to give the boy a chance to say his poem.

After many stops and starts he comes down.

By now I am upset. These people have plenty money! As soon as somebody goes up to perform they pay to take him down, then they pay to put him back. When will the time come for our play? I am so anxious. I keep saying the words in my mind. I can't wait!

But time is going! It is getting late. And still they are taking down performers and putting them back and taking them down and putting them back.

"Put yu hands together and welcome our friends from Booka Holiness Church!" shouts the chairman.

Maas Joe is getting us together. We go backstage. We are all agog with excitement. Job and his wife are on the stage talking. They come backstage. Satan starts to go on stage. He is dressed in black from head to toe. Even the garden fork is painted black.

"Whence cometh thou?" shouts Maas Sylvester from backstage.

Before Dudley can answer we hear: "Three pounds stop the play!" A tall, burly brown man struts to the podium and puts three green notes in the plate. I could bite his hand off! What is he thinking? We want to get on with the play. I want to act my part!

I am so angry. Imagine, eight long weeks, for eight long weeks I have been practising my part in the play. Eight long weeks and just as my time comes to act this man has to stop the play!

"It going to need at least four pounds to start the play again!" the chairman announces.

A deep sigh comes from the audience. They have already spent all their money.

Two ushers are going around with the plates collecting money, but each time they count they shake their heads.

"Only fifteen shilling we collect so far."

"Dig deeper!" shouts the chairman.

To my dismay, the bus driver is waving and pacing and looking at his watch. He calls Miss Irene. Miss Irene sends a note to Maas Joe. Maas Joe looks worried. I fear the worst is about to happen.

Meanwhile, they are busy collecting money to start the play again.

"We have to leave now!"

These are the last words I want to hear. I have not acted yet!

"Pack up yu things and come. We have to leave. The driver can't wait any longer," Maas Joe announces.

"But a don't act yet!" I protest.

"Come everybody, come!"

In a daze I board the bus with the others. I am so mad I don't say another word. On the way home all I can think of is what it would have been like if I acted my part on that stage, at that concert.

Old corny concert!

Why are these people so stupid? Why did that man have to stop the play with so much money?

One day when I grow up I'm going to write a play. I'm going to call the play JOB, and make little children act in it, and nobody is going to stop my play before the end.

A oh!